When Squids Strike
by Nightmare Flame
Summary: The land of Equestria lived in peace, until the squids struck. Now, the ponies that had fought the squids must stand against them once more.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Before Equestria was born, the world was a wasteland. Creatures riddled with filth and disease known as _squids_ overruled the land and the Tyrannical Age seemed to last forever. **

**But then a group of misfit ponies appeared, destroying the rule of the _squids _and bringing peace to Equestria forever. **

**Until now...**


	2. Chapter One: Flames

Chapter One: Flames

"Oh God, I did it again!" Came a scream from the woods nearby, and a butter-colored alicorn rolled his eyes before lifting his sunglasses above his muzzle and shouting, "_Shut up, Nightmare!"_

"But I did it again! I can't control it!"

"Can't control what?" Called a white unicorn from across the hall, readjusting his headphones ever so slightly. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of the raging forest fire.

"Oh, my God."

"What did she do-" began the same butter alicorn, Sky, but his hooves near made a screeching sound, he stopped so abruptly. Sky cursed under his breath and said, "Wonderful..."

A hissing sound came from nearby, and by the sounds of it, Fluffy, the strangely long-furred earth pony, was covering his ears and making a sound to mask the crackling of the flame while his best friend, a pegasus dubbed Bajan by most ponies, tried to comfort him.

Sky, however, simply grinned and pawed the ground like a bull in a ring. "It's been too long since I've had a challenge," he declared.

"Yeah right, you get whipped at chess every time you play with Princess Luna," muttered the white unicorn, Deadlox, under his breath. He cringed when Sky hit him in annoyance.

"Well, crossing over my failure of chess skills..." His horn shimmered a pale butter color, and a bucket of water appeared next to them, levitating.

"We need a lot more than that," called Bajan, gesturing vaguely to the forest fire. The sea-pony called Mudkip was moaning beyond him, saying something about dehydration and heat draining him.

An alicorn with a hide as black as the night appeared next to them suddenly, her normally flowing silver mane rippling only slightly, giving her a very lazy look, which didn't suit the tall, beautiful pony at all.

"That... shouldn't have... drained me this much..." She panted, her mane settling down even further.

"What the..." The suit-bearing blue pegasus TrueMU cantered over to examine the exhausted black alicorn.

"It should have... only taken... a portion of energy..." she explained weakly.

"Well... SSUNDEE!" Sky barked suddenly, and the black alicorn-Nightmare-nearly fell over from surprise.

"Yeaaaaaah?" Came an answering call.

"Get your lazy butt down here right now," demanded the butter alicorn, tossing his shaggily cut brown mane fervently.

Ssundee's pale gray pelt appeared in the doorway as he poked his face out, his jaw dropping to the grass as he stared at the mass destruction.

"No time to explain, just get Seto out here too, we need all the unicorns we can get!" He then proceeded to mutter several multiplying incantations under his breath, which immediately increased the number of water buckets under his control.

Finally having recovered enough to use her overwhelming magic, Nightmare, too, joined in the multiplying of liquid.

Ssundee appeared on the lawn again, the dark violet unicorn that was Seto in tow. Seto didn't even bat an eye at the disaster, just muttered a separate spell that created a river that snaked around the entire vicinity. The spell seemed to drain him; he slowly knelt, too tired to speak.

The pegasi of the group tore away and flew off at top speeds to gather rainclouds.

Mudkip, still complaining about the lack of moisture in his immediate environment, hurried off to use his hyper-sensitive water detection.

Fluffy, too, hurried off after Mudkip to offer his strength.

Sky continued, impatiently pouring water over the hungry fire. Nightmare cocked her head to the side, as if listening, and immediately shook her head, scattering drops of sweat.

"It won't work," she called over the angry crackling. "The flames are too hungry, the fire too strong. We need the pegasi to bring back those rainclouds to-"

Even as she referred to them, the pegasi returned, dark gray clouds that were easily recognizable as rain-calling clouds in tow. There was a momentary violent shaking sound as TrueMU and Bajan, appearing to seize and throttle the clouds, and then the comforting sound of rain began.

Nightmare flopped down in the rain, gasping for breath. The others were exhausted as well, and in the distance, Sky saw Fluffy and Mudkip returning, singing in obnoxiously loud voices "Joy To The World, The Lord Has Come" when suddenly both were whisked off of the road.

Sky's concerned voice rang out. "Mudki-"

_BLACKNESS._

**A/N:**

"Oh God, I did it again!"

**No freaking duh.**

"Yeah right, you get whipped at chess every time you play with Princess Luna," muttered the white unicorn, Deadlox, under his breath.

**Well, that kinda explains why I love Princess Luna. **

"We need a lot more than that," called Bajan, gesturing vaguely to the forest fire.

**No kidding. **

**Hokay, guys, my darling Nightmare Army. I am...**

**BAAAAAAACK!**

**HeroBrine himself came one night to steal my soul, and he almost did, but then somepony came to my rescue, placing this diadem upon me. *Glances at silver moon crest on black diadem* I wonder who he was...**


	3. Chapter Two: Blinded Rage

Chapter Two: Blinded Rage

**A/N: Yup, I am accepting OCs for Team Crafted member girlfriends, recruits, even bad guys ;) PM meh your OCs!**

**Here is the form:**

**Name**

**Gender**

**Physical description**

**Mental description (? I mean what they are like in terms of emotion and hobbies)**

**Age **

**Cutie Mark**

**I feel like I missed something, but whatevs! THE SHOW MUST GO ON! ;D**

* * *

Sky groaned. The room he was in smelled familiarly of - fish?

"Mudkip, no that was. Not. Freaking. Funny."

"I am not a fish!"

Sky opened his eyes and found himself awkwardly sprawled over Deadlox, whose left hind leg was bent unnaturally. He clambered off and looked around.

"Don't even try, magic is cancelled out," called Seto's gloomy voice. Sky knew that if Seto, the best magic-caster in the land besides Twilight, told him it wouldn't work, it wouldn't work.

"Worth a try, I'm an alicorn?" Asked Sky hopefully. Seto replied gloomily, "Oh, it won't work. The squids know about your 'condition'."

Squids?

"Oh, for - not again," groaned Sky. Seto's hood, ragged and bloodied, quivered as the unicorn shook his head, his uneven chesnut mane complementing Sky's own.

No wonder the fishy smell was getting to him.

"Oh jeez - Sky! I forgot - he's -"

Sky felt tremors and a spreading migraine taking over as he succumbed to the darkness.

So welcome.

* * *

_(Seto's P.O.V.)_

"Oh..." I cursed under my breath as I watched Sky have a seizure. I bit my lip, knowing full well Sky was fatally allergic to squids. He had barely survived the first war, and now, he was in the crushing grip of a squid prison.

And it was then that I fully realized that I felt another presence in my cell.

"Show yourself!" I demanded, spinning around and conjuring a weak, sputtering bolt of pale violet kinetic magic at the source of breathing. A navy blue shape darted out of the way of the blast, and I cursed again. It wasn't as strong as it should have been. The cells the squids were using were magic-sapping prisons.

Not good for unicorns, and especially alicorns.

I glanced at Sky, who'd stopped convulsing, but was so still that it scared me. _All the more reason to free him and-and Nightmare Flame faster,_ I chided hastily.

"Seto the Sorcerer, descendant of the great Starswirl the Bearded and long-lost apprentice of Clover the Clever's teachings... I expected more," commented a whiny voice that I quickly recognized was partial to the squid race.

"A dirty squid underling has no right to speak to me that way!" I snarled aggressively. I was getting seriously ticked off by the stupid creature.

"I am no underling," wheezed the squid proudly. "I am the squid who snatched you all and I am to be given a large sum of money and a promotion soon." His voice lowered as though he was trying to talk to himself, but I could hear every word being enunciated queerly. "Wife and kids are gonna be so happy..."

My heart seemed to break in half. I'd forgotten that squids have families too, that they were practically the same level that we ponies were. I shook the thought off, though. No use being sentimental for the enemy. I was raised that way, taught to be placid all the time, to never react.

I had to put that mask on now.

When I spoke again, my voice was level, quiet, calm. My face unreadable, impassive, dispassionate. And yet there was a dangerous edge to my voice.

"Where are we?"

The squid shuffled away, but I summoned it back with a teleporting spell.

"I asked..."

My front hoof slammed against the ground with such force that the stone floor cracked, and a cold rush of magic, angry magic, shot through the prison, knocking everypony to the ground except me.

"_WHERE ARE WE?!_"

As I spoke, a pale white magical aura erupted from my horn and morphed into a clawed hoof, and it grasped him firmly around his tentacles and dangled him upside down.

"I-in th-the j-j-j-jungle b-b-biome n-near th-the Nightmarish Forest!" Gasped the squid in stupefied terror.

Sky had awoken and was staring at me, my magic having briefly wiped any trace of squid from the prison.

His expression stopped my rampage in its tracks, and suddenly, all the anger fueling me seemed to dissipate. My boldness crumbled, and I was lying, sides heaving, fighting for breath at the tentacles of the ridiculous creature.

"No..." I called desperately one last time. And that was when I realized the squid had drawn its diamond sword from the scabbard.

_Well, that was shot down,_ I thought fuzzily, as the squid brought down the sword.

* * *

**A/N: Phew! I remember what I forgot. I'm afraid I'm against yaoi. :( However, I can address the girlfriend issue with the OC form above! :D**


	4. Chapter Three: Saved

Chapter Three: Saved

**A/N: Gah, about the OC form, I need the race of the pony as well!**

**New OCs:**

**Blaze**

**Sonic**

**And another's coming in the next chapter (my own). **

(Sky's POV)

I bit the inside of my cheek hard, and I tasted blood. I grimaced. Seto lying helpless. Seto going-

I gasped as the squid raised its sword over Seto's form. I knew immediately what it was going to do.

"No," I whispered. It became an enraged shout. "No, no, no, no! Don't!"

There was a downwards streak-

That was instantly deflected by a very powerful bolt of magic-certainly none of theirs.

"Who are you..." Growled a female voice, which was shaking as the dark gray mare towered over the squeaking squid, "..._To mess with MY boyfriend?!_"

I snorted. Finally somepony came to rescue us. "Blaze, you suck," I called. "You waited this long to help us?"

"Shut up, SkyDoesMinecraft. I only came to collect Seto," Blaze snarled.

"Oh, no, she didn't. I came for all of you. Blaze, seriously, bring the drama down a notch," remarked a pale light blue pegasus, her wings hanging stiffly in the air. She sniffed and a _faugh_ sound escaped her muzzle. "Gods, that smell is horrifying."

"No kidding," I muttered. My eyesight suddenly took a blurry turn, and my legs took and unplanned dive. I faintly heard Sonic's horrified gasp of "Oh my gosh! What's- what-" before blacking out completely.

* * *

(Sonic's POV)

I was seriously unprepared for Sky collapsing and starting to shake, and I kind of panicked and let it out on Seto.

"Oh my gosh! What's- what-" I stuttered, turning to Seto. Blaze gave me an irritated and weary glare as she tended to Seto, whose eyes were screwed shut.

"Oh gods!" I pulled my hood up quickly and ran through the cells, kicking down each and every one. As a pegasus, the magic-sapping cells didn't affect me. I heard a scream from the last cell as I kicked down the door to the one next to it. I could immediately see why-and recognized the scream at the same time.

A squid standing in the door, advancing upon Nightmare, who was staggering as she guarded the limp white unicorn that I recognized as Deadlox.

"SQUIDS- Wait, wha-?" I vaguely heard Blaze shriek. No doubt she had become less coherent from the magic-sapping cells.

"Oh, no, you don't!" I struck it down with my front hoof, and gestured for TrueMU to take the two out. As Nightmare completely lost consciousness and Deadlox stirred, I turned back to squid and was knocked against the wall by a slimy tentacle. _Great. _

* * *

(Blaze's POV)

The magic-sapping cells were wearing me out, but thankfully those idiots-wait, where did _that_ come from? Anyway, the rest of the group hurried out, the pegasi helping the alicorns and unicorns, and Ssundee tripping around crazily.

I growled under my breath when we were all out. Almost. "Ugh! Where's Sonic?!"

"Inside...?" Ssundee pointed out unhelpfully.

After clobbering the idiotic unicorn, I prepared to run in, but was stopped by TrueMU. "I'll go," he said quietly, and dashed inside in search of Sonic.

* * *

(TrueMU's POV)

I dashed through the prison with my wings spread wide, knowing I was a close friend of Sonic's. I would probably do the trick, she lost her calm really easily if not around somepony.

I screeched "SOOOOOOOONIC!" at the top of my lungs as I reached the corner and-

Oh, my God.

Sonic was trembling in the corner of the cell, with the squid towering over her.

"Filth!" I hissed as I knocked it flat on its face with my wing. The weight of my suit helped, too, for that matter.

"Go," I growled at Sonic, and with my peripheral vision I caugt a glimpse of Sonic scrambling away.

As much as I would have loved to kill the squid, I had to leave it. For it to tell the story of our escape. No doubt it would meet a more gruesome end by the tentacles of its leaders.

So with a reluctant snarl, I left the pitiful creature on the floor of the prison, begging for its demise.


	5. Chapter Four: Stranger

Chapter Four: Stranger

**A/N: Mildly (actually, very) OOC Fluffy here. I like to imagine that he can scent things and he can actually feel what the scented thing feeling. It's my pathetic explanation for making Fluffy like this :/**

**Please, don't kill me...**

**Or I won't be able to update anymore ;)**

(?'s POV)

God, such petty little creatures. How did those limp rags of fur held together by snark and a few brains divvied up between them fell the squids-but what a stupid question. Anypony could destroy the squids. They were so dumb.

But I wasn't entirely sure I was doing the right thing.

* * *

(Fluffy's POV)

I could hear a pony following us. It was definitely a pony; the hoofsteps had a very distinct sound, not to mention the scent of sea-spray and the salty waves of the ocean carrying from behind us.

A sea-pony, for sure. **(A/N: In my version, Sea-Ponies have hooves and everything, but when they're in water, they sprout wings and a horn and vasically become God of Sea.)**

I nudged Bajan, knowing he would understand. He started a little bit, no doubt riled up by the sudden return of the filthy squids, but nodded when he saw my expression.

We parted ways and blended into the trees on either side of our group. The rest of the ponies noticed us disappearing, but by pure habit and logic, they continued to pore over how to re-destroy the squids.

After a few minutes, I could see the "stalker". A female sea-pony with a royal blue-colored pelt, a cropped indigo mane, and sea-glass-colored eyes.

I felt my ears perk up and took a deep breath. This one was interesting. Reluctance was rolling off of her, so bitter that I nearly gagged and Bajan glanced at me in worry, knowing full well I was analyzing the scent, but concerned nonetheless. I could also taste a hint of guilt, but it was only a trace; other ponies had so much guilt I felt as though I was getting hit in the stomach. There was also a lingering hurt, and I felt a small sting. There was no positive thought in there; or at least, nothing I could dig deep enough to find.

"She's a bitter one," I whispered to Bajan, trying to shake off the sadness weighing like a cloud over me. Bajan nodded again **(A/N: Jeez, Bajan likes to nod doesn't he?)**.

Bajan circled around and crept behind her, while I took charge of her left side; I got a strange feeling her dominant hoof was her right and I would have to combat her on the left to confuse her habits.

But before Bajan could even open his muzzle, she remarked placidly, "You know, I wanted to join for a reason: because I am one of the best spies you can get, unlike the two idiots that have been tailing me for... five minutes, thirty-three seconds and counting."

I tilted my head to one side in disappointment. I was used to lavish praise for my skills, and this mare was obviously a strangely obscene creature.

"Don't look at me like that," snapped the mare.

_What's her scent?_ Mouthed Sky. He was staggering slightly, so I wasn't entirely sure whether or not he was coherent, but he seemed plenty sensible to me, so I mouthed back, _Bitter. _

Sky tilted his head slightly in confusion and opened his muzzle, but Deadlox effectively knocked him out with a very lame but hurried-sounding excuse: "I think you needsomerestSky!"

The weird mare chuckled bitterly. "You don't need to hide it. I can tell you understand."

She stood proud, but spared a strange glance at the only other sea-pony in the group, Mudkip. Her cheeks grew faintly more opaque, but she covered it and said hesitantly, "I... I want to join your Sky Army."

Nightmare gave a loud snort. "You just insulted our best tracker and you want to join our army...? Haha... I don't think so."

"Name first," I said at the same time. We glared at each other, and the sea-pony forced a laugh.

"My name's Seaglass-no nicknames!" She snapped at the look Seto was giving her. There was a random shout of "G-" that was cut off before Blaze protectively wrapped her arms around the poor unicorn, who didn't seem too in it, either.

"Jeez, cool off, Seaglass," muttered Sky, whose glasses were swaying uneasily as he did.

Seaglass snorted loudly. "Why did I ever do this?"

* * *

(Seaglass's POV)

Oh, my God. These ponies are so unorganized! And it's getting me so riled up I really need to slap somepony. But in all seriousness, why did I ever AGREE to do this?!


	6. Chapter Five: Home

When Squids Strike

* * *

**A/N: Oh, my God. WRITER'S BLOOOOOCK**

**Anyway, Chapter Five coming up!**

**Disclaimer: My Little Pony is strictly property of Hasbro. All OCs belong to the OC owners. Team Crafted members belong to themselves. **

* * *

Chapter Five: Home

(Third Person POV)

The group was in a sorry state.

Sky, Nightmare, and the rest of the unicorns were staggering, but Seto had revived considerably; enough to cast a 'Point Me' charm then pass out on the spot.

The pegasi were helping the unicorns along, but even they had reached their physical limit.

Mudkip and Seaglass were straggling behind. Seaglass was looking very bad-tempered, and Mudkip was looking rather happy at finding another Sea Pony. Both appeared exhausted from lack of water. **(A/N: Sea Ponies require water to keep from dehydration above water.)** Seaglass suddenly stopped the whole group and hissed, "There's something following us."

Fluffy strained his ears and nodded. He lifted his head and drew in a breath and immediately doubled over, as though he'd smacked by a horseshoe-encased hoof. The experience of which he understood, as he'd been mercilessly beaten by Cadence herself.

"Fluffy!" Cried Bajan, hurrying forward and offering his shoulder to Fluffy. The earth pony shakily staggered to his hooves, and his muzzle was frighteningly ashen.

"It's... sick," he wheezed. "Very... sick."

Seaglass tilted her head, looking not the least bit concerned for the earth pony. **(A/N: What makes Seaglass such a b****, you ask? Well, that is a tale for another day...)**

"Should... we help it?" Asked TrueMU wearily, stumbling over roots of a twisted tree that appeared out of nowhere.

"No," Seaglass replied decisively. "All of you can barely take care of yourselves right now. How disastrous would it be if you failed to keep both of you alive?"

She hurried the group along, hoping to find water soon, and to keep the group alive. She somehow felt approving of this scraggly posse of ponies who where desperately trying to destroy the tyranny of the Squids.

Suddenly the dark forest opened up to a far more pleasant scene: Ponies everywhere, their muzzles betraying happiness, looking brushed-up and clean. But there was a pony coming towards them that looked vaguely familiar-

* * *

Twilight was only heading towards the Everfree Forest to speak to Zecora, but suddenly a group of ponies appeared, and by Celestia, they looked horrible. But the dull, golden, blood-caked fur of the leading alicorn was vaguely familiar-

"Oh, my Gods, Sky," the pale violet alicorn gasped, rushing to support him. She quickly sent a mental image and a caption to the rest of the Mane Six: _Hurry! Friends hurt at Everfree Forest!_

Twilight was shocked at their unkempt appearances. It had been a long time since the Team had appeared in Ponyville, and now they had three new friends: a pegasus mare, a unicorn mare, and a Sea Pony mare who had an extremely pissed-off look on her muzzle.

Applejack skidded to a stop next to her. "Whoa there, Nelly, what in the heavens happened here?"

Rarity and Fluttershy quickly followed, their expressions horrified.

Rainbow Dash zoomed into the scene, gaping at the mess of ponies they were.

Pinkie Pie bounded in, her normally vibrant appearance marred by the fact that she had grown-become a little bit like Maud, her older sister. However, she still retained her fun-loving personality, and was smiling brightly, though it melted away at the sight of her heavily injured friends.

"What happened?" She asked urgently, addressing Seaglass. They seemed to know each other.

"That's what _I'd_ like to know," she growled, stomping her hind hoof in a fit of temper. She them rather abruptly crumpled to the ground, and Mudkip was there, saying under his breath, "Dehydration."

"Oh..." Pinkie turned to Twilight, raising an eyebrow. "Water?" She prompted.

Twilight jumped, then nodded meekly. "Oh... oh right."

A water bucket materialized from thin air; Pinkie grabbed it and, to everypony's shock, mercilessly threw it all over Seaglass and Mudkip. Immediately both grew wings and a horn, the glow of life evident on their muzzles. The sky suddenly wept, darker clouds creeping into the once-blue backdrop, ponies hurrying into their homes.

Seaglass spread her wings in exhilaration, bending one over to straighten out her glossy but unkempt feathers. Mudkip, however, hurried over to his friends, his horn glowing powerfully as about half the group was lifted into the air. This was met with no objection, which made it even more worrisome.

Twilight and Rarity's horns shone as well, and the rest of the group was lifted. Seaglass folded her wings to her sides and galloped along with them, her eyes plastered to the orange-and-blue pony that was Mudkip.

"CANTERLOT!"

* * *

Celestia was having a fair enough day. No admirers, no Blueblood plaguing her for money, so she had been getting pwned at chess by her thoughtful younger sister when Twilight, her friends and the Team appeared in her room.

"Holy- Ekhem, Twilight!" She gasped, jumping back and nearly killing Luna. "I-" She fell abruptly silent at the sight of the injured Team, and shouted, _"GUARDS!"_

The guards ran in, and Celestia cried, "Take them to the Camterlot Hospital!"

In a matter of minutes, the whole Team except for the female Sea Pony had been carted away, and Luna's eyes flashed momentarily silver.

_"Thou wilt have many inquiries asked in a violent manner about the Team and its devastating condition,"_ thundered the Princess of the Night, a familiar maniacal grin gracing her muzzle. Seaglass swallowed hard.

"I'm screwed," she squeaked.


	7. Chapter Six: Malice Unleashed

When Squids Strike

* * *

**Disclaimer: All YouTubers... belong... to... themselves. My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro Entertainment. All OCs belong to the OC owners. **

* * *

Chapter Six: Malice Unleashed

Sonic groaned as she blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering up and down three times before she actually gathered her bearings. She sat bolt upright but immediately flopped down again, the small exertion draining her.

"H...hi, Sonic..." Mumbled a familiar voice from next to her.

"Sky?" Said Sonic aloud, blushing as she did so.

"I... We have visitors..." Murmured Sky, sounding as though his muzzle had been stuffed into a pillow.

"Who are you?" Asked the pale violet alicorn she'd seen just before passing out.

"S... how do I trust you?" Shot back Sonic defiantly.

"Because _I'm_ with her," scowled an indignant Seaglass, her wings and horn starting to melt away like mist.

"O-okay... I'm... Sonic," muttered the pale blue pegasus, stretching one of her sore wings out experimentally. She winced and said softly, "Gods, why?"

There was a small scream of pain elsewhere, and a panicked, quiet cry of "Oh please, Deadlox, Nightmare, calm down!"

"Sounds like Fluttershy's havin' trouble," commented an orange earth pony mare with a easily recognizable straw hat. She frowned slightly at Sonic's grumpy expression, but cantered away to check on 'Fluttershy'.

Sonic muttered something about "How do they know them?" before a piercing scream interrupted them all-and frighteningly, it was familiar.

"Oh, my- Applejack!" Screamed the violet alicorn, and Sonic jumped after her, not feeling too bad.

What they saw stopped them in their tracks.

The orange mare with the straw hat was splayed out on the floor, her eyes closed and blood pooling near her back. A mild-looking yellow pegasus was sitting back, a horrified look on her muzzle as her wings opened up, protecting the two motionless forms behind her. Sonic momentarily felt amazed by the pegasus-she was protecting her friends even though she was in imminent danger.

Which got her to her next question. Where was the threat-

Sonic gasped and staggered back. Only the alicorn seemed calm, yet- seemingly aggravated.

Something was off here...

* * *

Twilight glared at the tall unicorn facing her. The recognizable curve in the shimmering golden (-ekhem, butter) mane, a maniacal grin on her muzzle, the glow of dangerous purpose in her beautiful blue eyes. Everypony knew her-she was a star rivaling Rarity, a dazzler-Rarity's shadow-

"Malice," snarled Twilight.

"Oh, darling, you remember! How flattering," gushed Malice, her eyes gleaming.

"How could anypony forget? You are a horrific creature with no ethical sense. You act only on instinct, anger, fear, hatred. You are Rarity's deep, vengeful shadow. You learned of the difference between Applejack and Rarity and since it wasn't in your bloodline to know such things, such emotions, you interpreted it as hatred and did the same thing you have now-" Twilight nodded to Fluttershy, who quickly and quietly rushed forward to grab Applejack and treat her. "-You returned her acknowledgement and acceptance by stabbing her in the back."

"I know not gratitude," replied Malice, shrugging slightly and allowing her horn to fizz a little, which revealed a sharp, bloody knife surrounded by a shimmering blue glow that imitated Rarity's; it had a darker sheen, however, and smoked a little bit, allowing a thin stream of black curls swirl into the air.

"Besides, what gives the mare a will to live? She's not a fighter, last time I checked," the cream-colored, tall unicorn cackled.

"You... you... eargh!" Snarled Twilight, stomping her foreleg down.

"Oh, you know me so much better than the others, darling. You know me better than Rarity!"

"Who is that?" Whimpered Sonic, closing her wings like a shell around her.

"Malice," replied Twilight, just as Rarity entered, an outraged look on her muzzle, and snarled, "Star, my hoof."

Malice turned and her muzzle split into a huge, malicious grin. "Darling, it's been _so_ long! I missed you! How... are... you?"

"Hating you as much as I can."

"Which isn't much, is it, darling?"

Rarity stepped forward and slapped Malice, saying loudly and angrily, "You have absolutely no right to speak to your own reflection like that!"

Malice cackled. "Oh darling, ever since I gained power from the great squids, I can do anything I want. Isn't that _interesting_?"

Twilight grimaced. Malice had been fairly sane and decent once, known as the dazzler Rose, but a few weeks afterwards, when her judgmental sense was still unreliable, the squids found out about her existence and came to her, offering her unbelievable power and wondrous knowledge. They explained that the dark magic they could teach her was beyond even Celestia's control.

Rose was gone, and Malice in her place.

She became the squids' most faithful and best spy and assassin. She remained undercover for a while, tricking them all into believing that she was still on their side. Then one day, she stabbed Applejack in the back in full daylight and disappeared, leaving a mystery about who she was now. Only one piece of evidence had been left:

_I. Am. Malice!_


	8. Chapter Seven: Comas and Confusion

When Squids Strike

* * *

Chapter Seven: Comas and Confusion

A cream-colored unicorn trotted down the grand hallway of an underwater kingdom. She smiled politely at the guards, strong-looking Sea Ponies that nodded and grinned in recognition when they caught sight of her.

The tall mare continued down past the doorways, raising a mirror with her black magic streaked with blue. Instead of her beautiful mane and face, there appeared a more ambitious, more familiar face.

White fur, elaborate violet coiffure, sharp, fashion-hungry blue eyes.

Rarity.

"Ugh!" The unicorn threw the mirror down violently, her expression filled with outrage. She left the shattered glass behind in a fit of temper, waving her tail back and forth in a gesture of irritation.

"Temper, temper," clucked a Sea Pony bitterly, chuckling as he extended a wing to preen his glossy, sleek feathers.

"I cannot see myself in reflections or shadows anymore," explained the tall unicorn in anguish. "Little by little... I am becoming part of _her_ again, and I do not want that."

"Anysquid can see that," murmured the Sea Pony, glancing around the dome-shaped, decorative ceiling. "Rose, you should-"

"No, don't call me Rose..." hissed the unicorn, and for a moment, violence and bloodlust flashed in her eyes as she came muzzle-to-muzzle with the Squid King, "...call me...

_Malice_..."

* * *

Sky staggered to his hooves and shook them out to regain feeling in them. Around the corner came a shrill cry of:

"Get back in that bed this instant!"

Sky groaned. "Nurse, please, I heal faster than normal ponies. Just let me go."

"No," said the white earth pony firmly, stomping her foreleg sternly. "Not until I'm sure everything is heeeaAAAAAH!"

She screamed as Sky spread his wings and unsteadily took flight out of the large, arched and opened window, grimacing as he gave an unbalanced flap. But then he let all his stress and worry from the past few days go and tucked in his wings, riding the breeze that allowed him to glide all the way to a nearby balcony. Panting from the small exertion, he vaguely recalled being told that there was going to be a meeting a few halls away from the balcony which, he knew, was Celestia's. He ignored the parchment strewn all over the floor, along with the gold accessories he recognized as the Sun Princess's, and limped over to the doorway, where he quickly limped away towards the meeting room.

* * *

"You shouldn't be up, Sky," insisted Blaze, leaning over the railing of her hospital bed, which confined her to it. Almost all of the Team's hospital beds had to be rolled in for fear of one... or two... or three... or fifteen ponies collapsing.

"I'm stronger than all of you right now," retorted Sky, and as if to prove that point, he stumbled and had to stiffly and painfully throw out a wing to prevent imminent collision with the floor, which, he had to admit, was looking _very_ welcoming at the moment.

"I thought so," said Blaze triumphantly, her horn shimmering as she lifted the ragdoll-like Sky into the air and set him into a chair, ignoring Sonic's flustered and muffled scream.

"How's... Applejack?" Inquired Sky, and immediately the atmosphere sombered. Only Sonic and Twilight, along with Fluttershy and the much-hated Malice, knew exactly what had happened to make Applejack sink into a full-fledged coma.

"She's... well, for lack of better word, she's... ehm... _not_ alright, but her wound's healing, so unless it gets infected like it did last time..." Twilight trailed off, not wanting to relive the gory details of the time in the last war when Applejack's stab wound (courtesy of Malice) had become infected.

"How... what happened?" Asked Sonic nervously.

"We tried to keep flies away," replied Rainbow Dash, frowning, her mane having lost its original glossy sheen.

Sonic gagged and whispered, "Wh-where's the bathroom?"

"Down the hall, two lefts, take a right," responded Pinkie steadily. Sonic immediately dashed out of the room.

"So... what's everyone's status?" Asked Sky to the whole group in general. He was quickly showered with bad news.

Seto, whose magic capability rivaled Twilight's and even Princess Celestia's, was in a coma, too, though he was expected to awaken soon.

Ssundee had gone a little loopy and was taken to the mental part of the Canterlot Hospital, but he had recovered enough to recognize his friends and know who he was.

All ponies present at the meeting (besides Deadlox, Sky, TrueMU, and Nightmare) had gotten lucky; they only had one broken bone or so, along with a bunch of scratches and such.

Deadlox was sitting next to Nightmare, whose wing was set stiffly around him, protecting him from anypony who dared to cross her. She no longer maintained her calm demeanor, instead having the side she kept hidden all this time burst out of her whenever somepony she didn't recognize approached her. Her other side, the one run on anger and fear, was dangerous, and ponies were advised to stay away lest they had a death wish.

TrueMU's wings were both severely damaged, one with a chunk taken out of it. He grimaced as Sky accidentally brushed against the bandages. "Sorry," whispered the butter alicorn, his eyes guilty.

"Are we allowed to see any-" began Sky, but was cut off when a familiar white unicorn, who was wearing a bloody but recognizable cloak, crashed into the door and barreled into the meeting room.

"Gods, I don't remember a door being there," groaned the unicorn.

"GODDAMMIT, YOU TOLD US HE WAS IN A FREAKING COMA!" Yelled everypony else.

* * *

**A/N: And that's a wrap with a really abrupt and making-no-sense cliffhanger! Now, first off, this is NOT A HIATUS MESSAGE! But my mom naturally found out about my FanFiction account (took her long enough, I've been reading stuff posted on this site for four years now) and banned me. God, the nerve, huh? But still, it might take me a while to get anything up anytime soon. Sorry about this, but see y'all, and byyyyyyye!**


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